Indian Citation Index: What Indian Journals Should Know

The Indian Citation Index (ICI) is a home-grown bibliographic database specifically designed to index and track citations from scholarly journals published in India. Launched in 2009, ICI aims to provide visibility and citation analytics for Indian research that may not be adequately represented in international databases. This guide explains what ICI offers, its role in the Indian academic landscape, and how it compares to other indexing options.

What is the Indian Citation Index? #

The Indian Citation Index is developed by The Knowledge Foundation (a registered society) with support from Diva Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. It serves as a dedicated platform for Indian scholarly literature.

Key Features #

• Coverage: Over 1,000 Indian scholarly journals across sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities
• Data Range: Content indexed from 2004 onwards
• Subject Areas: 50+ top-level subject categories
• Citation Tracking: Abstracts and citations with citation linking
• Full-Text Access: Links to full-text for open access journals (600+ titles)
• Analytical Tools: Search and citation analysis features

Purpose #

ICI was created to address a gap: significant Indian research contributions were not being adequately covered or evaluated by international indexing tools. ICI aims to:

• Provide visibility for Indian scholarly output
• Enable citation tracking within Indian literature
• Support research evaluation using Indian content
• Complement (not replace) international databases

ICI vs. International Databases #

Scope Comparison #

Complementary Role #

ICI is best understood as a complementary resource rather than an alternative to international databases. It captures Indian research that may not appear in Scopus or Web of Science, providing a more complete picture of Indian scholarly output.

Academic Context and Recognition #

UGC-CARE Relationship #

It's important to distinguish ICI from UGC-CARE:

• UGC-CARE List: Official government-approved list for academic evaluation
• ICI: Private subscription-based database
• ICI inclusion does not automatically mean UGC-CARE listing
• For faculty promotions, UGC-CARE status is typically what matters

Criticism and Concerns #

Like any indexing service, ICI has faced scrutiny:

• Some academics have questioned inclusion criteria
• Concerns about quality variation among indexed journals
• Subscription-based access limits availability
• Private operation raises questions about independence

Appropriate Use #

ICI is most appropriate for:

• Tracking citations within Indian literature
• Discovering Indian research in specific fields
• Understanding citation patterns in Indian context
• Supplementing international database searches

Getting Indexed in ICI #

Eligibility #

ICI focuses on journals published from India. Basic requirements include:

• Journal published from India
• Scholarly, peer-reviewed content
• Regular publication schedule
• ISSN registration
• Quality editorial standards

Application Process #

Contact ICI directly through their website for inclusion inquiries. The process typically involves:

• Submission of journal information
• Review of content quality and scope
• Evaluation against ICI criteria
• Decision on inclusion

Ongoing Requirements #

Indexed journals must continue to:

• Maintain publication quality
• Publish according to schedule
• Provide content access for indexing
• Maintain accurate metadata

Recommended Indexing Strategy for Indian Journals #

For journals published in India, we recommend this prioritised approach:

Priority 1: Foundation #

• Google Scholar: Maximum free discoverability—ensure proper metadata
• ISSN Registration: Basic requirement for all indexing
• DOI Registration: Crossref DOIs for citation linking

Priority 2: Recognition #

• UGC-CARE List: Essential for Indian academic recognition
• DOAJ: For open access journals—international verification

Priority 3: International Visibility #

• Scopus: Widely recognized, CiteScore metrics
• Web of Science: Premier citation index, Impact Factor
• Subject-Specific Databases: MEDLINE, PsycINFO, etc. based on discipline

Priority 4: Additional Coverage #

• Indian Citation Index: Supplementary national visibility
• J-Gate: Indian e-journal gateway
• Library Aggregators: EBSCO, ProQuest for institutional access

Other Indian Indexing Resources #

J-Gate #

An e-journal gateway providing access to journal literature. Operated by Informatics India Ltd., J-Gate aggregates content from thousands of journals and provides search functionality.

IndMed / medIND #

NIC (National Informatics Centre) initiatives for Indian biomedical literature. IndMed indexes Indian biomedical journals; medIND provides free full-text access to Indian biomedical journals.

Shodhganga #

INFLIBNET's repository for Indian theses and dissertations. Not a journal index, but important for Indian research discoverability.

How Altechmind Can Help #

We help Indian journals build infrastructure supporting recognised indexing goals:

UGC-CARE Preparation #

• Policy documentation meeting UGC requirements
• Website presentation standards
• Editorial workflow configuration

International Indexing Readiness #

• DOAJ-ready open access setup
• Scopus-quality infrastructure
• Web of Science standards preparation

Technical Foundation #

• OJS installation and configuration
• DOI/Crossref integration
• Google Scholar optimisation
• OAI-PMH metadata harvesting setup